Granola

Although I LOVE having cookie Wednesday, I don't think it is helping with my weight loss goals! :) I decided to try something a little on the healthy side! Boy does it smell good while cooking.

5 cups rolled oats
1 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup wheat germ
2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS
1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2.In a large bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds, wheat germ, coconut and sunflower seeds. In a small pan over medium heat, stir together the oil and honey. Cook and stir until blended. You could also do this in a large measuring cup in the microwave, heating for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Pour over the oat mixture, and stir to coat evenly. Spread out in an even layer on two cookie sheets.

3.Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the oats and nuts are toasted. Immediately after it comes out of the oven, stir in the raisins and dried cranberries. Let stand until cooled, and stir again to break up any large clusters. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, but I guarantee it won't be around that long!

Next time I might add a teaspoon or two of Cinnamon. Yummy!

PS this recipe is not exsactly "Lowfat" That was more or less the though behind it though! :)

Lunch with jam, jam and bread

Disclaimer: there are no actual cookies, bars, or cakes of any kind here, but I figured today's get-together had enough sweet indulgence to qualify for this post!

Today Amy and I both needed to make bread, so we teamed up at her place, and made the delicious whole wheat bread that has become a staple at both our houses. We made some of the dough into rolls, and topped them with butter and strawberry freezer jam:

Strawberry Jam:
4 lbs strawberries
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 packet Ball Freezer Jam Pectin
Just mash or blend the strawberries, stir together with pectin, and let set (official directions are on the pectin packet).

For the other part of our lunch, we had yummy spinach salad with Craisins, candied pecans, and Honey Celery Seed dressing.

Candied Pecans:
1 tsp cold water
1 egg white
4 cups pecan halves
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
Whisk water and egg white together. Add pecans and coat. Add rest of ingredients and coat well.
Spread onto sprayed jelly roll sheet.
Bake at 225 for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Then increase oven to 275 and bake for a final 15 minutes (if the nuts don't come out crispy enough, increase final temp to 300). Cool.

Honey Celery Seed Dressing: (from The Essential Mormon Cookbook)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp finely grated onion
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp celery seed
Mix all ingredients except oil and celery seed in a blender. Gradually add oil and celery seed, and blend until incorporated.
*This is a very sweet dressing, which is also delicious on a strawberry spinach salad with almonds.